Atomic Structure (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.

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Figure 1 shows the mass number and the atomic number for the nuclei of five different atoms.
1.
Figure 1

(a) How many neutrons are there in a nucleus of atom A?

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(b) Which two atoms in Figure 1 are the same element?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

A and B

A and C

C and D

D and E

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(c) Nucleus B decays by emitting an alpha particle.

Draw an arrow on Figure 2 to represent the alpha decay.

Figure 2

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(d) What is meant by the ‘random nature of radioactive decay’?

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(e) A polonium (Po) nucleus decays by emitting an alpha particle and forming a lead (Pb)
nucleus.

Po → Pb + α

The lead (Pb) nucleus then decays by emitting a beta particle and forms a bismuth (Bi)
nucleus.

Pb → Bi + β

The bismuth (Bi) nucleus then decays by emitting a beta particle and forms a polonium
(Po) nucleus.

Bi → Po + β

Explain how these three decays result in a nucleus of the original element, polonium.

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(Total 8 marks)

Radioactive waste from nuclear power stations is a man-made source of background radiation.
2.
(a) Give one other man-made source of background radiation.

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Nuclear power stations use the energy released by nuclear fission to generate electricity.

(b) Give the name of one nuclear fuel.

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(c) Nuclear fission releases energy.

Describe the process of nuclear fission inside a nuclear reactor.

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(d) A new type of power station is being developed that will generate electricity using nuclear
fusion.

Explain how the process of nuclear fusion leads to the release of energy.

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(e) Nuclear fusion power stations will produce radioactive waste. This waste will have a much
shorter half-life than the radioactive waste from a nuclear fission power station.

Explain the advantage of the radioactive waste having a shorter half-life.

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(Total 10 marks)

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3. Polonium-210 is a radioactive isotope that decays by emitting alpha radiation.

(a) Complete the decay equation for polonium-210

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(b) Explain why contamination of the inside of the human body by a radioactive material that
emits alpha radiation is highly dangerous.

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(c) A sample of polonium-210 was left for 414 days.

After this time it had a mass of 1.45 × 10−4 g

The half-life of polonium-210 is 138 days.

Calculate the initial mass of the sample.

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Initial mass = ______________________________ g

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(Total 8 marks)

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Smoke alarms contain an alpha radiation source and a radiation detector.
4.
Figure 1 shows part of the inside of a smoke alarm.

Figure 1

(a) The smoke alarm stays off while alpha radiation reaches the detector.

Why does the alarm switch on when smoke particles enter the plastic casing?

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(b) Why is it safe to use a source of alpha radiation in a house?

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(c) The smoke alarm would not work with a radiation source that emits beta or gamma
radiation.

Explain why.

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(d) Figure 2 shows how the count rate detected from the radiation source in the smoke alarm
changes with time.

Figure 2

The smoke alarm switches on when the count rate falls to 80 counts per second.

Explain why the radiation source inside the smoke alarm should have a long half-life.

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(e) Figure 3 shows a patient who has been injected with a radioactive source for medical
diagnosis.

Figure 3

Explain the ideal properties of a radioactive source for use in medical diagnosis.

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(Total 10 marks)

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Nuclear power stations generate electricity through nuclear fission. Electricity can also be
5. generated by burning shale gas.

(a) Shale gas is natural gas trapped in rocks. Shale gas can be extracted by a process called
fracking. There is some evidence that fracking causes minor earthquakes. Burning shale
gas adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

Describe the advantages of nuclear power compared with the use of shale gas to generate
electricity.

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(b) What is the name of one fuel used in nuclear power stations?

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(c) Describe the process of nuclear fission.

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(4)
(Total 8 marks)

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Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion are two processes that release energy.
6.
(a) The following nuclear equation represents the fission of uranium-235 (U-235).

Chemical symbols:

• Ba = barium

• Kr = krypton

• = neutron

Describe the process of nuclear fission.

Use the information in the equation.

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(b) Explain what happens in the process of nuclear fusion.

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(c) Fission reactors are used in nuclear power stations.

Engineers are developing fusion reactors for use in power stations.

Fusion uses isotopes of hydrogen called deuterium and tritium.

• Deuterium is naturally occurring and can be easily extracted from seawater.

• Tritium can be produced from lithium. Lithium is also found in seawater.

The table shows the energy released from 1 kg of fusion fuel and from 1 kg of fission fuel.

Energy released from 1 kg

Type of fuel
of fuel in joules

Fusion 3.4 × 1014

Fission 8.8 × 1013

Suggest two advantages of the fuel used in a fusion reactor compared with the fuel used in
a fission reactor.

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2. _________________________________________________________________

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(Total 9 marks)

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In the early 20th century, scientists developed an alpha particle scattering experiment using gold
7. foil.

The diagram shows the paths of some of the alpha particles in the alpha particle scattering
experiment.

(a) Explain how the paths of the alpha particles were used to develop the nuclear model of the
atom.

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(b) Niels Bohr adapted the nuclear model by suggesting electrons orbited the nucleus at
specific distances.

Explain how the distance at which an electron orbits the nucleus may be changed.

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(Total 7 marks)

Electricity is generated in a nuclear power station.

8.
Fission is the process by which energy is released in the nuclear reactor.

(a) Figure 1 shows the first part of the nuclear fission reaction.

Complete Figure 1 to show how the fission process starts a chain reaction.

Figure 1

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(b) Figure 2 shows the inside of a nuclear reactor in a nuclear power station.

Figure 2

In a nuclear reactor a chain reaction occurs, which causes neutrons to be released.

The control rods absorb neutrons.

The control rods can be moved up and down.

Explain how the energy released by the chain reaction is affected by moving the control
rods.

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(c) Figure 3 shows how the power output of the nuclear reactor would change if the control
rods were removed.

Figure 3

Calculate the rate of increase of power output at 10 minutes.

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Rate of increase of power output = _________ MW / minute

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(Total 7 marks)

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